Robbing the Alpha

Ch. 7: The Tea

BROOKE

My wolf had expanded, offering her senses as we crept through the castle, hiding around corners and behind furniture each time a servant's scent grew near. We avoided two on our way to the stairs, one more in the hallway. When I finally made it to my room, I locked the door and collapsed against it, panting, trembling, and willing my heart to slow. It seemed the closer I got to death, the more alive I felt. Adrenaline coursed through my veins like a drug, threatening me with the possibility of addiction. Was this how Huck felt all the time? Was that the reason for his recklessness?

I pressed my ear to the door, listening for any sign that someone was coming. If whoever had stood in that window had seen me, surely they would have confronted me by now. Perhaps it had been a servant, and they assumed I'd gone out for a breath of night air. After all, they were used to seeing me out. It was dark. They'd been too far away to tell my dress was ripped.

I hurried over to the dresser, quickly changing into my nightgown before shoving the evidence of my misjudgment beneath the mattress. That had been too close. Why had I agreed to let him kiss me? I should have known better. I had known better. It was never going to be just one kiss. Not with us. Our chemistry was too explosive, and neither of us were willing to defuse the situation. Every moment I spent with him was a step closer to annihilation.

I took a seat at the vanity, and then froze. Hickeys marred my skin like pinpoints on a map, varying in size and intensity depending on their region. If I stared at them long enough, I could recall the exact moment they were made.

This needed to end, but a fall down the mountain was looking less and less like the end of the world. It was the climb that horrified me. Climbing meant leaving Huck behind. No more talks. No more shifting. No more howling at the moon.

No more of his touch, his lips, his teeth.

"Mine."

My breath hitched, muscles clenched, and I closed my eyes, basking in the memory. Once upon a time, we would have been expected to be together. I could have had him every day, at any time, for the rest of my life.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The bedroom door rattled on its hinges, and I jolted, my worst fears coming to life. Someone had seen me.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Just a second!" I snatched my concealer and frantically worked to hide the bruises.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

It wasn't working. I didn't have enough time. In a panic, I ran to the closet and yanked a coat off a hanger, throwing it on. "I'm coming." I buttoned it up with shaking hands as I headed reluctantly toward the door.

I'd gone for a walk. If they mentioned the dress, I'd say I got scared and ripped it on a tree. Yes. That was good. A scandal, but nothing that couldn't be forgiven.

I squared my shoulders, unlocked the door, and opened it.

Aster's frail form was bent over an iron tea cart in the hallway.

"Oh." I blinked. "Hello, Aster." I leaned through the doorway, sure I'd find a sentinel or scout somewhere behind her, but there was no one. Had she been the one banging on the door? How? She could barely stand up.

"May I come in?" Before I could answer, she pushed forward, forcing me back. "I noticed you still haven't been sleeping well, so I brought you the tea I promised." She poured a cup and offered it to me.

What exactly had she noticed? I couldn't be sure, and I wasn't about to give anything away just in case this was some huge coincidence. If it was her, that could be a blessing; she wasn't the most reliable source for information. The smell of lavender wafted up to my nose, and I took a sip, humming appropriately. "Thank you."